The idiom "guilty as charged" is believed to have originated in the 16th century. It is thought to have come from the practice of law courts, in which a defendant who was found guilty would be said to be "guilty as charged." This phrase came to be used to admit to one's wrongdoing or to acknowledge that one is responsible for something. It is often used outside of a courtroom to jokingly admit to an accusation or to express agreement with a statement.